


Love Me Lights Out

by britishshoe



Category: Kpop - Fandom, SHINee
Genre: Fluff, M/M, taemin and minho are mentioned but they don’t speak so i won’t clog the tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-03
Updated: 2018-10-03
Packaged: 2019-07-24 10:36:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16173353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/britishshoe/pseuds/britishshoe
Summary: Strobing lights, disorienting music, sticky with sweat, and he still looked beautiful.





	Love Me Lights Out

**Author's Note:**

> I heard Xo by Beyoncé for the first time in years and it gave me feelings, so this takes place winter of 2013.

Jinki twisted through the crowd, feeling unfamiliar hands grasp and grope at his shoulders and hips. His vision was blown out with white flashes of strobe lights, staggering him momentarily. The floor seemed to come up to meet his gaze as it glowed neon with the beat. He knew he was going to have a headache before he made it out of this building. As he looked around, he realized no one looked familiar, they hardly even looked human. It was like a throng of androids mimicking one another’s movements, drunkenly finding their patterns. They were packed so tight that they barely made enough room to grind on one another sloppily, trying to pull him into their grasp. He grimaced as he shoved his way as quickly as he could through the mass, looking impossibly for his target.

Key had called him drunk off his ass, cackling like a hyena as he told him three stories at once. Jinki had listened bemusedly until the aforementioned got around to his point. He was plastered. No, _they_ were plastered, and they needed a ride. Jinki rubbed his temples in the lamplight, glancing over at Minho’s sleeping form in the next hotel bed. He could not pass the buck to him, and Taemin was never an option as he could not enter the club. There were taxis in New York, they were kind of famous for that. Key had excuses. Jinki did not care. That was until it was “Jonghyun wants you. He doesn’t want a cab.” Then he cared. Then, he made a grab for his jeans and tennis shoes. Then, he was running to the next room to borrow the manager’s car. He hardly ever drove in Korea, and he never drove in America. It only served to lend him more anxiety to see that there was snow falling when he exited the hotel, and he chided himself for having forgone a coat. A plethora of thoughts had swept over him as soon as he started the car. Was he allowed to drive a car someone else rented? Would the insurance cover him if he crashed? Was his license even valid in the United States? His worst fear was that all of the answers were a resounding “no”, but he had to drive nonetheless. He just kept telling himself: same side of the road as always, just remember the signs.

He was amazed he made it here without being pulled over, driving several miles under the speed limit the whole time. That had been twenty minutes ago. Twenty minutes had felt like twenty years, at least to Jinki.

Now, he was on what had to be the worst leg of the mission, finding two needles in a haystack. He closed his eyes momentarily to try and give at least one sense a break. His skin hurt from the force of the bass; it was all too overwhelming. Then came the laugh. Key had the guffaw of a siren, carrying in a high pitch for miles around. Jinki heard him clear as a whistle somewhere to his right, though when he opened his eyes, he remembered not even Moses could part the sea of bodies quaking to the music. He took a deep breath before attempting to run through them. Quicksand. He moved one step forward and two back, beginning to zig and zag in any way he could. The envy for Minho blossomed in him, imagining the gangly legs hanging slightly off the bed while he snored peacefully. He should have gone to sleep at 9PM just like him. It was too late for wishful thinking, as he stumbled into an open space at the side of the room. He saw two familiar blondes seated at the bar, spinning haphazardly on the stools. They were singing, or at least Jonghyun was, and Key was cackling uncontrollably. Jinki approached right as Jonghyun stood up and jumped all around, screaming the lyrics to Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! A Man After Midnight. He had not even realized that it was playing on his way through the dancers. How could anyone hear over the bass what was actually playing, anyway? 

“Kim Kibum!” He felt himself yelling, but he could barely hear his own voice. Key took one final rotation on his stool to face Jinki; his eyes lit up and he shouted something incoherent at him. This got Jonghyun’s attention, seeing him turn to acknowledge his knight in shining armor. He had this indescribable quality to his face, all stares and mischievous smiles. He jumped on Jinki and slung his arms around his neck, taking in his scent. Jinki held Jonghyun for only a moment as his two doe eyes looked up at him, a clear face adorned in a smile. He breathed heavily, trying to regain composure post-performance, and leaned his head to Jinki’s collar. Jinki gave the boy a reassuring squeeze and separated from him, taking a break between songs to his advantage. 

“It’s time to go back to the hotel, guys,” he said in his best parental tone, putting a hand between Jonghyun’s shoulders and looking at Key who was glued to his phone screen. “Kibum?”

”What? Oh, sorry, I was just texting Minho,” he said nonchalantly, and before Jinki could mention to Key that he had just seen the aforementioned sleeping, a new song boomed through his ears. He began trying to pull Jonghyun to the door, but met some resistance. All he saw was a set of pitiful puppy eyes and a bottom lip jutting out in his direction. He gave another weak pull and Jonghyun stomped his foot in defiance, pointing up toward the speakers. 

“But it’s my favorite song!” He shouted as loud as he could, lip coming back out to play on the other’s emotions. Jinki softened and tilted his head slightly, taking in the scene before him.

”One last song. Enjoy it,” he let go of Jonghyun’s hand and crossed his arms, anticipating a wait. Much to his surprise, he was being grabbed for again, and Jonghyun was leaning in to say something to him.

”Dance with me?” and just like that his resolve shattered. He had wanted to be back in the bed sound asleep, but he figured it was worth it to hold Jonghyun in his arms on that blinking dancefloor, which had seemed to thin out in the past few minutes. This song was slower than the last few had been, prompting people to go get more drinks, or to just go home. Jinki wrapped his arms around Jonghyun’s waist, glancing at his watch as he moved. 2:34AM. They had to be up at seven, but he thought maybe he did not have to worry, just this once. This was the kind of night they sell espresso for. It had to be worth it to see that warm smile spread across that beautiful face. Jinki was taking it all in now: hair stuck to his forehead with sweat, skin almost glittering in the lights, and eyes twinkling happilly like constellations. He was handsome always, but he was breathtaking now. They moved together slowly as Jonghyun slid his fingers through the hair at the nape of Jinki’s neck, serene smile forming on his lips. Jinki sighed when Jonghyun put his head into his neck, humming tranquilly. It struck Jinki then that he was probably exhausted, curling into him like a child and nestling his skin. He could not stop himself from planting a fond kiss on Jonghyun’s crown, smoothing his damp hair lovingly. With the way this song had no overuse of bass, Jinki could hear the soothing vocals; the words that seemed to hit home tonight. People were funneling out around them, laughing and crying, surging out into the night. They could all be gone for all Jinki cared, he did not see anyone else anyway. Jonghyun gazed at him now and looked like he could shed a tear, emotions brimming in the depth of his eyes. Jinki let his thumb run the span of Jonghyun’s left cheek, pulling him to his body and landing his lips on his forehead. He could feel damp heat against the cotton of his shirt, and he squeezed as tight as he could to the man in his arms. Every time Jonghyun got a little more than tipsy, his feelings became all the more visible in his actions, but moreso in his eyes. Whether he was beaming or sullen, tears would inevitably fall to Jinki’s collar, who always waited in the wings to ease his overwhelmed heart. He whispered sweet nothings to him now, knowing he would never hear, but that did not matter. Jonghyun knew Jinki cared for him, and he knew that he was making that known now, which caused exponentially more tears to slide down his face. He gripped at the back of Jinki’s shirt, wrinkling the fabric in his fists. He held him tight through the end of the song, Jinki rocking him in the silence until he knew he was able to present himself to the world. He let Jonghyun pull back first, smiling up at him apologetically. He gave him a reassuring smile and they walked arm in arm back toward the exit, where Key waited tapping his foot. 

“We need to go right now so I can give Minho a piece of my mind,” he snapped, an incredulous look upon his face. As they walked out into the cold, Key began a rant about how Minho never ignores his texts, and he will make him sorry for this. Jinki slipped in the fact that he left Minho sleeping peacefully in the hotel room. “It’s like you think I care.” 

Jonghyun giggled into Jinki’s shoulder, only loud enough for the two of them to hear. The latter helped the former into the passenger seat as Key plopped down on his back behind them, fingers furiously tapping his phone screen. Jinki took his spot in the driver’s seat and looked behind him upon starting the car, backing onto the empty street. He felt Jonghyun grasp his right hand that had been lazily slung over the center console, and turned to see him looking peacefully to his window at the snowflakes that landed on the glass. Jinki traced the small palm in his own with his thumb, happy to feel Jonghyun squeeze back in acknowledgement. They continued on down the side streets until the hotel appeared on the horizon. Jinki pulled the car back to where he had found it, and ushered his passengers out of the car and into the lobby. Key sprinted up the stairs while Jinki and Jonghyun waited patiently for the elevator to arrive. 

“He’s gonna scream at Minho,” Jonghyun said matter-of-factly as the doors slid open to reveal an empty car.

”I know,” Jinki sighed as he slumped in and leaned his back to the side wall, pressing their floor and watching the doors squeak shut.

”Do you wanna sleep in my bed?” Jonghyun asked so quietly that it could have gone unheard. Jinki searched his face for a moment and realized this was his way of asking for some company. Taemin probably would not provide much as he did not tend to like sharing beds. Jinki had decided instantly that he would, but he pretended to ponder for a moment.

”I think that’s better than dealing with the chaos, if you’re really okay with me switching rooms,” he responded decidedly, and Jonghyun confirmed with only a nod and a smile. The doors opened to the corridor and Jinki told Jonghyun he would meet him down there once he gave the keys to the manager, who was no doubt waiting up for them. He watched him nearly skip down the hall in excitement, rounding the corner to their rooms. Jinki knocked solemnly on the door and waited for the manager to scold him, but he just answered briefly and said he was too tired to complain, and even thanked him for taking care of his members so well. They bowed to one another apologetically, and he took off down the hall. 

When he arrived to the room, he made sure to be quiet as to not wake Taemin from his slumber. There he lie, moon drenching his pale body like a vampire, sprawled out in one of the queen sized beds. Jinki panned his gaze over to see Jonghyun curled up and peeking at him from the covers, a smile dancing in the dark irises of his eyes. A dim lamp illuminated his form from the far side of the bed. Jinki took off his shoes and jeans and shuffled over toward him, climbing onto the opposite side. His body had caught up with his mind, fatigued and begging for rest. He was still for a few moments, making eye contact with the tired lump in front of him. Jonghyun’s eyes crinkled up and he turned over, an invitation for Jinki to cuddle up to him. It was accepted instantly, and Jinki held him loosely as if sleep had already gotten to his muscles.

”Jinki-ssi” Jonghyun spoke softly again, almost into the ether.

“Hmm?” Jinki rubbed Jonghyun’s stomach absentmindedly, encouraging him to say his piece.

”I love you, Jinki.”

”I love you too,” he stated simply, giving the smaller man a light squeeze. “Lights out.”

Jinki reached for the lamp and killed its beam, leaving the two of them in the blue light of the moon, snuggled together between the sheets.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Detail: Key totally has a pink iPhone 5c. I don’t accept criticisms.


End file.
